Reassurance
by Ellivia22
Summary: Hurt by Zack's words at Marcus' going away party, Cody refuses to be anywhere near his twin. Desperate to get his brother back, Zack must convince Cody that he didn't mean what he said. NOT twincest. R


(A/N: Here I am again writing more Suite Life. I just can' t get enough of it :) Rated K+ for slight swearing. I hope you like it!)

Disclaimer: Suite Life is not mine

Summery: Hurt by Zack's words at Marcus' going away party, Cody refuses to be anywhere near his twin. Desperate to get his brother back, Zack must convince Cody that he didn't mean what he said. NOT twincest. R&R

******Reassurance**

******By: Ellivia22**

******Zack**

Three days. That's how long it's been since Cody last spoke to me. In fact he won't even look at me. I wonder what I did this time to deserve the silent treatment. I would ask him, but he refuses to be anywhere near me.

I'm lying in my bed staring at the ceiling. I can't stand having my brother mad at me, not talk to me. It hurts me so much on the inside, because I love him more than anything in the world. What hurts the most is I have no idea what I did wrong so I don't know what to apologize for. I roll over in my now double bed. I wish Marcus was here. He was always good at giving advice.

My stomach rumbles. I sigh and get off my bed. Maybe I'll feel better after I eat something. I leave my cabin. I find myself face to face with my twin. Cody is staring straight back at me. His face is cold and hard, his blue eyes are clouded in pain. I must've hurt him somehow.

I force a smile on my face. "Hey Cody."

He says nothing. He turns and starts walking away. I grab his arm, desperate to get him to talk to me. "Just tell me why you're mad so I can apologize and everything can go back to normal. Please."

"Get the fuck off me!" Cody says harshly, pulling himself out of my grip and storming down the hall. I stare after him, my eyes wide. I've never heard Cody swear before. Whatever I did this time must've really pissed him off. A horrible thought hits me: ___Does he hate me?_

CZC

"Here's your smoothie, ma'am," I say in a monotone voice as I hand the smoothie to her. I've lost all enthusiasm for everything, even trying to get Maya. The only thing I can think about is my brother. I feel like there's a hole in my heart. I'm so miserable without him. After wiping the counter, I sigh in relief. My shift is over at last.

I glance over at Cody who is standing by his station folding towels. Inside I feel painful and angry vibes coming from his direction. I reach under the counter and grab a cup filled with juice. It's Cody's favorite smoothie: mango splash. I saved it just for him. I hope this will help loosen him up a little bit.

"Hey Codes," I say as I reach his towel station. "I brought your favorite smoothie. On the house." I offer it to him.

Cody stares at me for a long time. I expect him to smile and thank me. Instead he scowls at me and knocks the smoothie out of my hand. The sticky contents spill down my green work shirt and all over my hands. My chest tightens in pain just by this action. He's never treated me like this before. I cover up the pain by showing anger.

"Dude! I don't know what I did this time to piss you off, but you have no right to treat me like that!" I give him a hard shove angrily.

Using all his strength, Cody shoves me back. He's a lot stronger than I expect him to be. His shove makes me fall backwards and on the ground. I think I've scraped up my arm. He glares down at me. "I don't think you're in any position to be telling me how to treat people!"

I sit up and rub my arm. It stings really bad and is bleeding. When I look up again, he's out of sight. Depression hits me at full force. I need my brother back.

"Zack, are you all right?" I feel someone pull me to my feet. I look into London's deep brown eyes. "What happened?"

"Cody and I got into a fight," I say simply, clutching my bleeding arm.

London tisks. "Come on, let's get you cleaned up."

She leads me from the Lido Deck. People may think it's strange that she's willing to help me, but London and I share a different relationship. When we're alone I can show more of my sensitive side and she can let go of her snobbish ways and show her intellectual side. We understand each other.

We enter London's cabin. Bailey isn't in the room at the moment. I sit on the bed and London hands me a wet cloth. She sits next to me as I clean up my scraped arm. "So tell me what happened."

I sigh and continue dabbing the wound on my arm, wincing every so often. "Cody stopped talking to me three days ago. In fact he refuses to be anywhere near me. I don't know what I did this time to make him avoid me. I think I hurt him somehow. I was trying to make amends by giving him a smoothie, but he poured it down my shirt. So I pushed him and he pushed me back."

London gives me a strange look. "Did you say anything to him?"

"I told him he had no right to treat me that way. And he said that I was in no position to tell him how to treat people."

London's face is in deep thought. "When was the last actual conversation you had with him?"

I think long and hard. The confrontations earlier don't really count. "Well, the last time we spoke was at Marcus' going away party. I was saying goodbye to Marcus saying that he was the only roommate I had that I didn't hate. Then Cody said 'Hurtful'." I pause for a second. I suddenly remember how pained his voice sounded when he said that. Now that I think about it, I don't even know why I said that. I didn't mean it. In fact, sometimes I really miss having Cody as a roommate. "Do you think he's avoiding me because of that?"

"Do you?" London asks.

"Do I what?" I ask in confusion.

"Do you hate him?"

I stare at her as if she had three heads. "Of course not! He's my twin brother, my best friend. I love him more than anything in the world, and I would do anything to make sure he's happy. How could you ask me something like that?"

London holds her hands up in defense. "Sorry, but I had to ask. Look, Zack, I know you are the older twin and it is your job to pick on Cody, but sometimes I think you take it a little too far."

"What do you mean?"

I put down the rag. London bandages my arm. "I mean sometimes you're a little harsh when you pick on him. In fact when you said that comment to Marcus the other day it made___me_ feel uncomfortable. Hate is a really strong word, and you know how sensitive Cody is. Especially since his heart is still broken from his break up with Bailey. I think the reason Cody has been acting this way towards you is because you really hurt him. I think he's using anger to cover up the pain."

I feel ashamed. London's right. I shouldn't have said that, especially in front of all those people. Cody's always sensitive and takes things personally. It drives me crazy, but at the same time I love him for it. It makes Cody who he is. I sigh. "What should I do?"

"Well, I'm no expert at sibling relationships, but I suggest you talk to him."

"Yeah like that's going to happen! He won't let me get near him!"

London shrugs. "I'm sure you'll think of something."

I get off the bed. "Thanks London."

"No problem. See you later."

I leave her room. London's right. I have to talk to him, apologize. I'm just afraid he won't listen.

******Cody**

After my shift ended and my encounter with Zack, I've spent the rest of the hours before curfew walking around the ship. I'm lost in deep thought. Zack's words repeat in my head.

___You are the only roommate I've ever had that I didn't hate_

___You have no right to treat me like that_

I don't like being harsh to my brother, but I can't help it. What he said to Marcus really hurt me deep inside, especially when he emphasized on the word '___hate_'. He didn't technically say that he hated me, but everyone knows that he and I used to share a room. I sigh sadly. I knew he felt that way about me, but it just makes it worse that he's not ashamed to announce it in front of everyone. My shoulders sag as the depression hits me hard. That explains why he's never there for me when I really need him, has no respect for me. I'm going to have to continue avoiding him. My emotional state can't handle being near someone who hates me and isn't afraid to show it. One smoothie isn't going to change anything.

My chest burns in pain and loneliness. I'm alone and it's driving me crazy. Unfortunately there's nothing I can do about it. Bailey's gone, I don't have Zack. The only thing that keeps me sane is academics. If I didn't have that-I'd have nothing.

A sudden beeping jolts me out of my thoughts. I glance at my watch. `10:01PM. Time for curfew. I sigh and walk back to my cabin. As I'm walking back to my cabin, I wonder what I did to make Zack hate me so much. All my life I've tried to be the best brother I could be, but it's never enough. I so badly want to ask him what I did wrong, but remember that I'm not talking to him.

Right when I reach my cabin I feel an arm yank me into the room across the hall. Zack's room. I have a pretty good idea who the perpetrator is. Once I recover my balance, I glare at my twin. The pain on his face is so strong I'm having a hard time staying mad. I fold my arms. "What do you want?"

Zack winces at my tone. He moves closer to me. "I wanted to say I'm sorry. I never should have said that I hated you-especially in front of everyone. I understand that I hurt and humiliated you. I didn't mean it."

The apology is written all over his face. I want to believe him, but it's hard. He hasn't been there for me when I really needed him, never shown signs that he cares. "Well you haven't exactly shown that you care. I mean, you have no respect for me and you're never there for me when I need you most. So sorry if I don't believe you!"

"When have I not been there for you?"

My emotions are starting to take control of me. I roll my eyes and pretend to think hard. "Oh let's see: when Bailey and I broke up. The chess tournament I was so desperate to win, you weren't there to support me; instead you screwed it up! And you have no respect for my feelings! You tore my six month plan even though you ___knew_ it means so much to me!" Tears are on my face. I'm hurting so bad on the inside, and yet I'm still very angry. "You know what? I'm not going to waste my time telling my feelings when it doesn't matter to you! I'm out of here. Do me a favor and never talk to me again!"

I am about to leave Zack's room when a hand latches on wrist. I'm pulled backwards and into Zack's arms. I try to break away from his grip, but Zack hold me tight. This is shocking. Zack hasn't hugged me like this in a long time.

I lose all control of my emotions. Everything that's happened to me in the past couple of months fills my head, making the tears fall even harder down my face. Unable to control myself, I turn around and wrap my arms around my brother and bury my head into his shoulder. I start sobbing. I don't think I'll be able to stop.

Zack tightens his grip on me, his hand stroking my back gently. "You have every right to be angry with me, but there's something you must understand. The only reason I pick on you all the time is because it's the only way I can show how much I care. I just took it too far at Marcus' party. And you're right. I haven't been the best brother to you. I'm sorry."

I pull back and look at him in surprise. "You mean you don't hate me?"

The hurt continues to build up in his blue eyes. "I thought you knew that, Cody," he says hoarsely.

My eyes lower. I can't stand seeing the pain on his face any longer. "I used to, but after hearing you say you hate me so many times for so long, I started to believe it."

Zack pulls me back into his arms for a tight embrace. "I don't hate you, Cody," he says choking on a sob. Is my brother actually crying? "I ___love_ you! You are the most important person in my life, the person I care about the most. I love you to death! Please, buddy. Believe me."

Zack's voice is full of pain. Guilt rises inside me. I must've really hurt him. The emotion behind his voice is so powerful that I believe him. I've been wanting to hear him tell me he loved me for so long and now that I've heard it from his own lips, I couldn't be happier.

I pull back once more. Tears are on Zack's cheeks, his eyes slightly red. A small smile spreads across my face. "I've been wanting to hear you say that for so long. I love you too, Zack."

We hug each other again, this time the both of us participating. I feel tears on my shoulder. He's still hurting and it's all my fault. "I'm sorry I hurt you," I whisper.

"It's okay, little brother," he says, his voice almost back to normal. "Just talk to me next time. I absolutely can't stand it when you use the silent treatment on me."

"I promise." I whisper.

After we've both completely calmed down, Zack and I spend the rest of the night in his room bonding. The pain is finally starting to fade away. Deep in my heart I had hoped that my brother loved me, and he does. All I needed was just a little reassurance.

******The End**

******Thanks for reading. Please review :)**


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